The Seed of New Life

John 12:23-33

As wheat matures, it transforms.  It starts as a telescoping sheath of grass and grows to a stalk ending in a head of seeds surrounded by small husks. As it changes color from a hearty green to golden brown, it dries out, and become more brittle.  If left un-harvested, the husks on the seeds will break and shatter, and the grain will fall to the ground.  It is a process that represents both death and new life.  In John chapter twelve, Jesus uses this imagery to foretell His death and what it would bring to humanity.
Jesus declares, “unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”  Jesus, as the seed sown by the Father, is the Word of God that must enter the human heart.  He died so that all of humanity had the chance of receiving eternal life.  His beatings and torture can be represented as the beating of wheat during threshing that occurs at the harvest.  He was lifted up, as being winnowed, on a cross, and as He entered the tomb, the Word of God, the seed, died and entered the earth.  From His death and burial, He rose again, bursting forth to new life.  At His resurrection, humanity was ushered in to a new age, where through Jesus Christ we can be born again into a living hope. 
Jesus continues, “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am there will my servant be also.”  Jesus laid down His life for us.  To receive the eternal life that can be found in Jesus, we must surrender our life to God.  As we surrender our life to Him, it is blessed, and bears a bountiful harvest, and in the end, produces eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.  Today may the seed of new life continue to grow in your heart and may you give all of yourself to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.